Mining body says sector 'underpins' Qld economy

Geoff has been working for the QT since August 2011 covering Ipswich’s rural areas. He started working for APN in January 2010 with the Chinchilla News in western Queensland after growing up on a grain farm. Geoff spends his time out of work watching far too much sport following the Reds, the Broncos and various American teams.

QUEENSLAND'S peak mining body has claimed the resource sector contributed more than $55 billion to the state economy in the 2015-16 year.

But anti-mining groups maintain the mining sector survives off government subsidies and is harming the environment.

The Queensland Resources Council on Thursday released the group's seventh annual economic contribution report.

QRC chief Michael Roche said the resources sector "underpinned" the Queensland economy and provided an estimated $55.7 billion to the state.

"Despite another challenging year the natural resources sector was directly and indirectly responsible for one in every five dollars in Queensland's economy and one in every seven jobs," he said.

"These results signal the continued transition of the resources sector from an investment phase of record capital expenditure into an operational phase of making sure that this new production capacity is being delivered as efficiently as possible."

Mr Roche said coal remained the biggest player in Queensland, accounting for about 58% of direct spending.

But a recent report from anti-fossil fuels think tank The Australia Institute said the resource industry continued to be a recipient of government subsidies.

Lock the Gate spokeswoman Carmel Flint said the resource sector was damaging to Queensland.

"The mining lobby is ignoring the impact big coal and gas companies have had on our land and water, which underpins our valuable agricultural industry," she said.

"Unlike coal and gas, solar power creates jobs without threatening our agriculture industry which we all rely on for food production and the future of Queensland."